U.S. guns pour into Mexico

Arms race among drug cartels, end of ban in America result in flood of high-power weapons over border
Chris Hawley and Sergio Solache
Republic Mexico City Bureau
Jan. 16, 2007 12:00 AM

MEXICO CITY - The Mexican village of Zazalpa got a chilling lesson in American-made firepower recently. Homes, cars, everything was destroyed. Even the cows were shot.

About 60 Mexican drug smugglers rolled into Zazalpa, 300 miles southeast of Douglas, looking for a rival trafficker in November. They rounded up residents, then raked the empty village with American-made AR-15 rifles.

The destruction of Zazalpa is just one of dozens of unrelated drug skirmishes in Mexico with a common element: American guns.

Combat-style rifles are pouring into Mexico, aided by the end of the U.S. Assault Weapons Ban in 2004 and an arms race among several Mexican cartels battling for control of lucrative drug routes.

The weapons are purchased at stores and gun shows, then smuggled into Mexico under car seats or tucked into suitcases.